Various plastic bag filling and closing devices are known wherein a product is introduced into a bag which is then detached from juxtaposed bags and transferred to a bag closing or sealing station. An example of such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,939; entitled "Bagging Machine with Bag Holding, Transfer and Stretch Means". A disadvantage of many bagging machines wherein a plurality of juxtaposed collapsed bags are held adjacent a filling station is that, when the outermost bag is opened to receive a product therein, it will often will draw the next bag therealong, due to friction or static, or other reasons, and then often making it difficult, if not impossible, for the next bag to be opened by the bag opening mechanism. This results in machine malfunction, and it is then necessary to stop the machine, remove the broken bags and the discharge product(s) that may have been discharged directly onto the machine during the malfunction, and reposition the juxtaposed bags in proper position. This machine stoppage and damage to the product is time consuming and costly.
A further disadvantage of bagging machines is that, after a bag has been filled, most often the bag is conveyed to a remote bag closing machine or station. The result of this is that a very large machine or system is required to place articles in bags, close the bags and introduce a bag closure to retain the bags closed, and then transfer the bags away from the machine. These different bag handling devices also slow down the bagging process.